House of Commons Hansard #120 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was c-13.

Topics

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

It being Wednesday, we will now have the singing of the national anthem, today led by the hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent.

[Members sang the national anthem]

African Institute for Mathematical SciencesStatements By Members

October 1st, 2014 / 2:05 p.m.

Conservative

Joe Daniel Conservative Don Valley East, ON

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my constituents of Don Valley East, today I pay tribute to the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences next Einstein initiative, funded by our government through the International Development Research Centre. The goals of AIMS are to promote mathematics and science in Africa, to recruit and train talented students and teachers, and to build capacity for African initiatives in education, research, and technology.

Congratulations to AIMS for opening its fifth centre of training, research, and outreach in mathematical sciences in Tanzania this October. This centre joins others in South Africa, Senegal, Ghana, and Cameroon. To date, they have graduated 731 alumni from 41 countries, and 30% were women. AIMS expects to graduate its one-thousandth scholar in 2015.

I invite all my colleagues to enjoy a reception and to hear the incredible story of AIMS in Africa, today at 5 p.m. in the Speaker's salon. I ask colleagues to join me in helping AIMS find the next Einstein in Africa.

National Seniors DayStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

NDP

Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

Mr. Speaker, today is National Seniors Day, and New Democrats wish to recognize and appreciate the hard work Canadian seniors have put into building thriving communities, organizations, and workplaces across this country.

Sadly, more than 260,000 seniors across the country are living below the poverty line. As more and more Canadians retire, that number will rise. The government must respond, but sadly, the Conservatives have failed to take action.

New Democrats know that something needs to be done, and that is the reason we have released a national seniors strategy on aging. It provides an urgently needed framework to eradicate seniors poverty; strengthen vital public services for seniors, including health care and affordable housing; and allow all Canadians to age with dignity.

We urge the government to show support for seniors and adopt my Motion No. 529.

Brighton AppleFestStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

Rick Norlock Conservative Northumberland—Quinte West, ON

Mr. Speaker, this past weekend, the municipality of Brighton celebrated the milestone 40th anniversary of its annual AppleFest. This unique festival, which recognizes Brighton's apple farming heritage, marks the beginning of the fall apple harvest season.

This year's AppleFest was the largest and busiest in recent memory, with a record 30,000 attendees over the weekend. Festival goers were able to shop local vendors at the street fair or browse the classics at the car show. An evening concert showcased Canadian greats Kim Mitchell and April Wine, and kids and parents alike were entertained by renowned wildlife filmmakers Chris and Martin Kratt, of Wild Kratts.

Brighton's 40th AppleFest surpassed everyone's expectations and provided an outdoor venue replete with something for everyone. I would like to take a moment to thank those numerous volunteers who were able to make this year's event possible. I also encourage a visit to this apple-growing region any time of the year.

People's Republic of ChinaStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Arnold Chan Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House to acknowledge the People's Republic of China's 65th anniversary today. Much progress has been made in moving toward a modern China over this period. Despite this, challenges remain.

The Sino-Canadian relationship has long been strong. Whether it was the humanitarian actions of Dr. Norman Bethune, the opening of diplomatic relations in the early 1970s under Prime Minister Trudeau, or the Team Canada missions under Prime Minister Chrétien, Canada has been at the forefront with China.

Today, the world is watching Hong Kong exercise the guarantees that were established under the Basic Law agreement that was signed between the PRC and the United Kingdom in 1984. As noted yesterday by my hon. colleague from Thornhill, we would urge the Chinese government to respect the framework of the Basic Law, which speaks to the concept of one country, two systems.

We recognize the PRC's sovereignty over Hong Kong. At the same time, we in the Liberal Party would urge the government of China to act prudently and to allow peaceful democratic protests to occur.

Government of New BrunswickStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB

Mr. Speaker, New Brunswick Liberals were elected to govern my province for the next four years. I am ready to work with them to advance the interests of my district. However, I am deeply concerned about premier-elect Brian Gallant's promise to establish a moratorium on developing our shale gas resources. Instead, Mr. Gallant believes an additional $1 billion worth of projects will create a strong economy. Yet our $12 billion in debt already totals $16,000 for every man, woman, and child. He has also proposed, we think, the highest tax rate on top income earners in North America. We cannot tax ourselves into prosperity.

Decisions have repercussions. If Mr. Gallant does not allow shale gas jobs to be created in New Brunswick, more of our young workers will move to Saskatchewan for opportunity. They will, astoundingly, work in the very same industry the Liberals will not open back home.

Yes, my province will continue to receive transfers from Ottawa, but at a very high cost. Our towns will continue to empty out, and New Brunswick will be poorer for it.

Brome-Missisquoi Equality ForumStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

NDP

Pierre Jacob NDP Brome—Missisquoi, QC

Mr. Speaker, many women have a hard time balancing work, study and family, and that affects their economic security. I believe that the inequalities many women face hinder their independence.

That is why I encourage people to go to the forum Brome-Missisquoi en égalité debates tomorrow, Thursday, at the Georges-Perron community centre in Bedford. There will be a number of presentations on inequality and the importance of community action.

I congratulate the forum organizers and participants because the NDP shares their values. I also invite all members to sign the forum's statement of principles, which is on my Facebook page.

Chartered Professional Accountants of CanadaStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Joyce Bateman Conservative Winnipeg South Centre, MB

Mr. Speaker, today marks an historic event for the accounting profession in our country: the integration of the profession into the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada.

Across our nation, provincial accounting bodies are unified, and when complete, there will be more than 190,000 CPAs in Canada. The unification of the accounting profession will best serve the public by establishing common codes of professional conduct, disciplinary systems, and licence regimes. It will also enhance the influence, relevance, and contributions of the Canadian accounting profession, both at home and abroad. It will provide a consistent national regulatory framework, which will facilitate labour mobility, the integration of foreign-trained professionals, and effective business across provincial borders.

As a proud chartered accountant, I look forward to becoming a chartered professional accountant. Congratulations to the leadership of CPA Canada on this very important milestone.

Hepworth-Shallow Lake Rotary ClubStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Miller Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON

I rise in the House today to congratulate the Hepworth-Shallow Lake Rotary Club on their 65th anniversary and to thank them for all the work they have done over the past 65 years.

Furthermore, I would like to sincerely congratulate Mr. Ed Ruth on the 50th anniversary of his membership with this club. This is truly an outstanding achievement. In his late 20s, Ed was the victim of an unfortunate accident that resulted in the loss of one arm. He was a hard-working man with a wife and three children to support. During this difficult time, it was this local rotary club that sought out Ed and offered him any assistance they could give. It was for this reason that Ed joined the rotary club, and he has been an active member ever since.

I believe that I speak for all Canadians in congratulating Ed on his outstanding commitment and unwavering support for his community over the past 50 years. Congratulations to both Ed Ruth and the Hepworth-Shallow Lake Rotary Club on these tremendous achievements, and all the best in their future successes.

Seaforth Highlanders Army CadetsStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

NDP

Jinny Sims NDP Newton—North Delta, BC

Mr. Speaker, I am thrilled to rise today to recognize some outstanding young men and women from my riding.

The 1867 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps Seaforth Highlanders are here in Ottawa this week and on Parliament Hill all day today. There are 28 cadets and four chaperones from Newton-North Delta here in the gallery, and I want to take this opportunity to tell them that they are the reason I love my job. I appreciate their ideas, civic engagement, and energy. I am in absolute awe of this particular group and its commitment to loyalty, professionalism, mutual respect, and integrity as guiding principles.

These teenagers already stand out as community leaders. It is a privilege for me to represent them here in Parliament. I wish I could name them all, but due to time constraints, it is not possible. Therefore, I will profusely thank their group leader, Michael Marek, for his tireless efforts and advocacy on their behalf in arranging this visit. I am completely inspired by all of them.

Women EntrepreneursStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Susan Truppe Conservative London North Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, October is Women's History Month in Canada. This year's theme, “Canadian Business Women—A Growing Economic Force”, encourages us to look at Canadian entrepreneurs.

Women have made vital contributions to business and entrepreneurship throughout our history, and this continues today. RBC Economics reports that in 2011, majority-owned women's businesses contributed an estimated $148 billion to the Canadian economy.

Throughout Women's History Month 2014, I invite all Canadians to discover and honour the accomplishments of women in business. Knowing this proud history can inspire enterprising women and girls across Canada to pursue opportunities in business and help build a stronger economy for all.

I am very proud of the women entrepreneurs in London, Ontario.

Violence against WomenStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

NDP

Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC

Mr. Speaker, I have previously spoken in the House about the need to address the pressing issue of violence against women. Today, I am raising the particular issue of violence against immigrant women.

Systemic issues of gender inequality mean that immigrant women are frequently forced to relinquish their status in Canada, in order to escape domestically abusive relationships or abusive employers. These particular victims of violence are often slipping through the cracks of our immigration system because they are ineligible for refugee status or for consideration on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. Women in this situation rarely see their abusers brought to justice because they are removed from Canada before their cases can be resolved.

As we prepare to debate the motion brought my colleague from Churchill to establish a coordinated national action plan to address violence against women, I call upon the government to examine the precarious situation of immigrant women who are victims of violence and who often have no recourse due to the loss of their immigration status.

National SecurityStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Conservative

Roxanne James Conservative Scarborough Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, we are living in a dark and dangerous world. The Islamic State has named Canada as a potential target for its violent terrorist actions.

Our Conservative government has taken strong action to keep Canadians safe from radical Islamists who wish to harm us. We have created new measures to strip citizenship from terrorists and to stop radicals from travelling overseas to engage in terrorism.

However, I noted media reports that the Liberal member for Malpeque said that there were no charges under the Combating Terrorism Act and that taking passports away from terrorists was “not enough”. The member is wrong. I only need to point to a recent case in B.C. where an individual was charged for travelling to Syria to join Islamist fighters.

What is more, it appears that Liberals speak from both sides of their mouths because that member voted against stripping citizenship from terrorists, a move that four out of five Canadians agree with. This just shows, once again, that Liberals are in way over their heads with regard to national security.

Bedford Volunteer Firefighters AssociationStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Liberal

Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS

Mr. Speaker, the Bedford Volunteer Firefighters Association just celebrated 75 years of service. I was very happy to be on hand to mark this milestone.

The fire service started out with 25 buckets, two ladders, and an axe hanging on the side of a shed. Although the equipment is much more advanced today, the service still relies upon the brave men and women who are there in an emergency.

Volunteer firefighters sacrifice their time and their safety to protect their communities. They often miss family gatherings, holidays, and certainly sleep, in the process.

I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the members of the Bedford Volunteer Firefighters Association.

IranStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Conservative

James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake, MB

Mr. Speaker, I am again advocating for Iranian prisoner Ms. Reyhaneh Jabbari.

Ms. Jabbari continues to be at risk of imminent execution for defending herself and killing her attacker, who was attempting to rape her. She is only 26 years old and was recently transferred from Tehran's Evin prison to be executed and was told to say her good-byes to her family.

In April, a court postponed Jabbari's execution in the face of heavy international criticism, including an international petition with nearly 200,000 signatures.

This grim news that the execution will soon be carried out came as Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was speaking in New York at the United Nations, trying to put a moderate face on the regime.

Instead of increasing its number of executions, Rouhani's government should reform its judicial system to meet international law and respect jurisprudence. I urge the Iranian regime to respect Ms. Jabbari's rights. Her imprisonment and treatment are inhumane and unacceptable.

I once again call upon President Rouhani to exercise clemency, stay her execution, and suspend her sentence.

National DefenceStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

NDP

Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL

Mr. Speaker, despite having few answers about the mission, it is pretty clear Conservatives have made up their minds when it comes to deploying forces to Iraq.

New Democrats have a consistent approach. We believe in fighting extremism in ways consistent with Canadian values and focused on saving lives.

Meanwhile, Liberals have embraced all sides of every argument on this, on any given day. A couple of weeks ago, the leader of the Liberal Party told The Globe that he did not completely rule out sending jet fighters in the future. Later, he told the media that any mission must be non-combat.

Meanwhile, his foreign affairs critic was saying no to air strikes on Sunday morning, but backing away by sundown.

However, as the Liberal leader admitted, on September 17, “I think [the Leader of the Opposition]...from what I hear, has a lot more questions about Canada's involvement.”

Canadians can count on New Democrats and the NDP leader to ask the tough questions and demand answers of the government.

National Seniors DayStatements By Members

2:20 p.m.

Conservative

Tilly O'Neill-Gordon Conservative Miramichi, NB

Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege for me to rise in the House to pay tribute to National Seniors Day. Just today, Canada has been ranked the fourth best country in the world to live in as a senior. Our government accomplished this through the implementation of smart policies that promote greater care for seniors, such as the seniors horizon program and by putting more money back into seniors' pockets through the introduction of pension income splitting, which the leader of the Liberal Party, shamefully, opposes. These actions are responsible for removing almost 400,000 seniors from the tax rolls completely.

I encourage all Canadians to find their own special way to celebrate the seniors in their lives, whether it is a visit, a hug, or even simply a “thank you” for all they have contributed to our lives. Canadians everywhere should take the time to recognize what seniors have done for us. I wish Canada a happy National Seniors Day.

HealthOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Outremont Québec

NDP

Thomas Mulcair NDPLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, the United States has diagnosed its first case of Ebola.

Can the Prime Minister tell Canadians what precautions are being put in place to prevent the spread of Ebola here in Canada?

HealthOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Calgary Southwest Alberta

Conservative

Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, Canada has not had any confirmed cases of Ebola.

On the contrary, the Public Health Agency has obviously been seized with this for some time. There are no concerned cases. The Public Health Agency believes that the risk to Canadians remains low. It is more than ready to respond if a case of Ebola does reach Canada.

I would point out that both the Public Health Agency and the Department of Foreign Affairs have recommended that Canadians avoid all non-essential travel to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

National DefenceOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Outremont Québec

NDP

Thomas Mulcair NDPLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, how many Canadian soldiers are on the ground in Iraq?

National DefenceOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Calgary Southwest Alberta

Conservative

Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition already knows the answer to that question.

There are 26 soldiers today. The government has authorized 69 soldiers, as is well known, and that is obviously a maximum. Those numbers will fluctuate depending on decisions of operational commitments.

National DefenceOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Outremont Québec

NDP

Thomas Mulcair NDPLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, we do in fact know that there are 26 soldiers, but the problem is that we asked the Prime Minister four times, on September 15, September 16, September 23 and September 24, and he gave us a different number.

The question that Canadians are asking themselves is this. How is it possible that the Prime Minister got something so simple so wrong? Why is he not able to tell Canadians straight up when we ask the question of how many Canadian soldiers are on the ground in Iraq?

He did not give us the right answer then. How do we know it is the right answer today?

National DefenceOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Calgary Southwest Alberta

Conservative

Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, once again, the government has authorized up to 69 personnel. People will come and go from the theatre. The decisions on the operational needs within that number will be made by commanders on the ground.

National DefenceOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Outremont Québec

NDP

Thomas Mulcair NDPLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, are there any Canadian Forces in Syria right now?

National DefenceOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Calgary Southwest Alberta

Conservative

Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister

No, Mr. Speaker.